Re: 3yo asking for food to fall asleep, not weaned yet

I think other ideas for comfort would be good too. It IS good that he knows why he wants to eat because we all do that (well most of us, I know I do) eat for emotional reasons at times and I think it would be a good thing that seeing as he understands this that if you at least tried (with no pressure and no expectations for him to understand) to gently explain that when we feel sad or ___ that we shouldn't just eat but we should ____ (fill in the blank with what you want to teach him to do intstead). For example when my oldest gets really upset and dwells on something I tell her that its not really helpful to dwell on it and keep talking about it as it doesn't change the problem but (once we have talked about it and acknowledged it) that she can instead think about other things that are positive (sort of a counting her blessings sort of thing) to help her deal with it. Just as an example of how to guide him to something else. Like you could say "well I am sorry that you feel sad, could you tell me why? Then he talks about it, and then you say okay, well when we feel sad we can ____ (whatever you want to teach). Does that make sense...I don't know how to put it.

As for offering anything like cheese even, I wouldn't personally do it. I would try the giving the snack, then brushing teeth, then going to bed, and if my child was still hungry, I would offer water in a sippy cup, and then offer to lay down with them, and see how that went. I think your concern over the not falling asleep eating because of cavities is completely valid. A child that young cannot understand the problems involved with eating and then getting cavities without brushing because its outside their realm of experience, I would think.

Have you looked into the reasons behind his congestion or other ways of treating it? Like I know you said its allergies but did you look into treating that somehow like removing the allergen if possible or reducing it etc? Not to throw something out there that you've probably thought of but it came to mind.

Oh and I like the other ideas above in the other posts about trying the moist cloth and things like that- cool water cloth/teether is always safe cavity wise.

Also, just so you know, I do think this COULD just be a phase (but its good to also consider other possibilities) because my 3 year old does wierd things sometimes too. Right now she HAS to sleep with certain things and so I just let that go. I have other battles to pick, things that matter. But sometimes as parents we have to draw the line like where safety is a concern and this is one of them- the safety issues of choking or cavities outweighs the child's desires.

Last edited by @llli*nola; October 18th, 2012 at 06:56 PM.
Reason: additonal idea

Re: 3yo asking for food to fall asleep, not weaned yet

See I think if frozen healthy food cures his allergies and settles him why not? But I would never let my kid (who OFTEN eats bedtime snacks. Why go to bed hungry?) eat fruit and then go to bed without brushing his teeth. I do however fully support him weaning on his own terms. And if he is ready to give up the nighttime session I think you should be willing to let that go. And if he gets comfort from something else, and it's healthy AND it aids with allergies I really don't see a problem with that.

Re: 3yo asking for food to fall asleep, not weaned yet

Originally Posted by @llli*krystine

It sounded like he was falling asleep while eating to me. I believe it is a choking hazard to go to sleep with food in your mouth.

: Would it be inappropriate for me to say DUH! That made me LAAAUUGH! . Yeah ok. I see how THAT could be a choking hazard. But NOT eating something right before bed. Because I'd be dead ALREADY if that was the case.

Re: 3yo asking for food to fall asleep, not weaned yet

Originally Posted by @llli*djs.mom

: Would it be inappropriate for me to say DUH! That made me LAAAUUGH! . Yeah ok. I see how THAT could be a choking hazard. But NOT eating something right before bed. Because I'd be dead ALREADY if that was the case.

Yeah, that's really how I interpreted her first post if he's falling asleep, waking up and then eating to fall back to sleep but maybe that's not what she meant. Glad it was good for a laugh. I am absolutely not sleeping so I'm probably better off just staying offline.

Re: 3yo asking for food to fall asleep, not weaned yet

One thing I thought of when you mention allergies and frozen foods- does he have asthma? Kids can get allergy-induced asthma which acts up more at bedtime. To go to sleep one might cough more and have mroe difficulty breathing while falling asleep. Cold things like popsicles help this. I have allergy induced asthma which was particularly bothersome during my third trimester this past spring. I sucked on some crushed ice before bedtime and kept some at my bedside. As a child (3-5 years old) my brother was the same way and crushed ice worked well. Maybe you could try some crushed ice?

Re: 3yo asking for food to fall asleep, not weaned yet

I also interpreted it as him falling asleep while eating as in sleeping while food was still in his mouth. It might seem obvious BUT that was the way I interpreted it. Sometimes its hard to interpret things online and not in person.

Having a snack before bed and then brushing teeth is totally fine and normal thing to do. We do it sometimes but not all the time as my kids don't always want or need it.